Experiential Learning: Western Heads East & the Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion

Authors

Rebecca Jackson, University of Western OntarioFollow

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

Winter 2021

Abstract

Over the summer of 2020, I completed an internship with Western Heads East (WHE), a collaboration between Western University and African Partners. During this internship, I worked alongside two of my peers to design a website for the non-governmental organization “Mikono Yetu” to showcase the important work they are doing surrounding female empowerment and economic independence. During the Fall term of my final year at Western, I completed a placement with The Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion (CRHESI). For this placement, I created an infographic that outlined the barriers migrant agricultural workers currently face to accessing health care and highlighted possible non-disruptive solutions.

Both internships provided me with fantastic opportunities to enhance various transferable skills: With WHE I learnt how to work as part of a larger organization which gave me the chance to develop my communication skills in terms of learning how to articulate my ideas clearly across various channels. Additionally, I was able to form intercultural relationships, overcoming barriers through critical thinking and adaptability. Through my second placement, I learnt how to work across disciplines, connecting my arts and humanities background to the health sciences field. I also got to explore a new side of communications through my work on the infographic, as I had to use visuals and specific language to effectively engage a large number of people. These two placements taught me how important it is to be open to new experiences and to bring confidence and passion to whatever you do.

Notes

This presentation was submitted in conjunction with a report as the final assignment for SASAH's Experiential Learning requirement. The live online presentation event occurred via Zoom on March 26, 2021, and is posted on YouTube. The students subsequently recreated their presentations using VoiceThread for publication purposes.